Best software for a beginner

bigdave1992

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Nov 2, 2008
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West Country!
Sorry if this is a re-post but i have searched the forum.

Ive had some past experience with cubase and find it very tricky! and also with steinbury sequel but that sounds almost fake.

ive looked into fruityloops studio 8 and it seems quite good...

any advice on software? i need something rather user friendly :D

thanks in advance ! :D
 
if you learn with one, you will be able to eventually navigate all. each have got different layouts, but alot of similarities too, they do the same thing. except for jeskola buzz (first thing i learned with). jeskola buzz is modular and means you can have a light copy on an old floppy disc for jamming lol. but you can have buzz systems that sprawl all over the hard drive too. its soo difficult at first (and no undo!!). but then it becomes natural. more so than most studio software ive used since.

i always go back for its synths

all in all FL studio is graphically best to navigate imho
 
also worth having a look at - Reason,

probably the second most popular production program after fruity.

i know i am out numberd but i personally found it much MUCH easier to use than fruityloops from day 1

worth checking out just to find the one that you can work most efficiantly with i say..
 
I like to think of it like characters in Mariokart

toad, koopa troopa = fruity loops
Peach, Yoshi, = Reason, Ableton
Mario, Luigi = Cubase
Bowser, DK, Wario = Logic

When you first start playing mario kart, you pick the nippy characters who allow you to get round the course, little knowledge about handling is required and you can get a decent spot.

As you progress you might find you are willing to sacrifice acceleration for a bit more power so you'll pick your Mario's, Yoshi's etc and still win the races

When you've finished a few cups and start playinig competative multiplayer you'll realise that it's actually all about the heavyweight characters who you actually have to learn how to use and, though it might take you a bit of time to get going you'll be leagues ahead of everyone else nad more likely to finish first.

Not saying you can't produce good quality tunes with any program it's just that you'll find more options with the more advanced programs.



Alternative advice. - Pick one and learn it, doesnt matter what you choose if you put the time and effort into learning it properly you'll get good results.

Same with synths. Don't be disheartened if you can't get the sound you want straight away, stick with it.
 
I like to think of it like characters in Mariokart

toad, koopa troopa = fruity loops
Peach, Yoshi, = Reason, Ableton
Mario, Luigi = Cubase
Bowser, DK, Wario = Logic

When you first start playing mario kart, you pick the nippy characters who allow you to get round the course, little knowledge about handling is required and you can get a decent spot.

As you progress you might find you are willing to sacrifice acceleration for a bit more power so you'll pick your Mario's, Yoshi's etc and still win the races

When you've finished a few cups and start playinig competative multiplayer you'll realise that it's actually all about the heavyweight characters who you actually have to learn how to use and, though it might take you a bit of time to get going you'll be leagues ahead of everyone else nad more likely to finish first.

Not saying you can't produce good quality tunes with any program it's just that you'll find more options with the more advanced programs.



Alternative advice. - Pick one and learn it, doesnt matter what you choose if you put the time and effort into learning it properly you'll get good results.

Same with synths. Don't be disheartened if you can't get the sound you want straight away, stick with it.

LOL!

i have never thought of it this way, you are a very lateral thinker mate.

i'd say jeskola buzz is the track or course on which you have to follow properly or it will crash you :D watch out for those slicks!!!

(y)
 
Fruity...
I've dabled in Cubase and Ableton although fruity takes a bit of getting used to after the lay out of the other two its so much easier to use
 
LOL!

i have never thought of it this way, you are a very lateral thinker mate.

i'd say jeskola buzz is the track or course on which you have to follow properly or it will crash you :D watch out for those slicks!!!

(y)

I've just reread that and realised I played far too much mariokart last night.
 
so with no musical and technical background i would advise a more sample orientated DAW with subtractive synths which is easy to handle and has lot of tips/big talkative community. So Fruity and Reason are ur choice. Reason has some nice Refills with dnb break/loops.
 
well im trying all music software from fl6 to 8 and cubase to reason+ pro as well but got to say reason 4 is the best for dnb ........ people just try it and cant get the hang of it but 100% go 4 reason 4 nuffin els
 
ok simplist to use is fl8 but if u try reason 4 and stick with it u can get good resolts fl is very user frendly thats y it sucks lol u want sumthing that is harder to use like prolive but i think thats only for mac not shore but yer reason 4 go for that dont even haf to be 4 can b 3
 
I've just reread that and realised I played far too much mariokart last night.

:) No such thing as too much mariokart mate. Great analogy.

I started on Reason myself, found it the easiest of the bunch so would recommend it to a beginner, though i'd also advise regular experimentation with other DAWS as you don't wanna end up in a rut - stuck with your initial choice + it increases understanding of relative strengths, weaknesses etc.
 
Yeah for ease of use initially id agree with most of the posts here, go for fruity.

Having said that, if you can afford it go with logic or cubase. It'll be worth it in the end as most high end third party VST's have addittional functions that intergrate better with these...especially with logic. cubase 5 looks really good but the price is quite high, it would be money well spent imo. I use fl and like it soooo..... as long as you got your high quality samples and vst's (such as albino 3) it does'nt really matter mate.
 
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I like to think of it like characters in Mariokart

toad, koopa troopa = fruity loops
Peach, Yoshi, = Reason, Ableton
Mario, Luigi = Cubase
Bowser, DK, Wario = Logic

When you first start playing mario kart, you pick the nippy characters who allow you to get round the course, little knowledge about handling is required and you can get a decent spot.

As you progress you might find you are willing to sacrifice acceleration for a bit more power so you'll pick your Mario's, Yoshi's etc and still win the races

When you've finished a few cups and start playinig competative multiplayer you'll realise that it's actually all about the heavyweight characters who you actually have to learn how to use and, though it might take you a bit of time to get going you'll be leagues ahead of everyone else nad more likely to finish first.

Not saying you can't produce good quality tunes with any program it's just that you'll find more options with the more advanced programs.



Alternative advice. - Pick one and learn it, doesnt matter what you choose if you put the time and effort into learning it properly you'll get good results.

Same with synths. Don't be disheartened if you can't get the sound you want straight away, stick with it.

nice little analagy... but i think you under-estimate ableton mate!

I learnt the basics on fruity, and then moved to ableton... wish i had started with ableton as it's very intuative and powerful.

but as stated, they all do essentially do the same... so get demos and see what you like, afterall, ozma makes and releases tunes on FL!
 
I learnt the basics on fruity, and then moved to ableton... wish i had started with ableton as it's very intuative and powerful.

Yeh similar, I started on Reason, then Cubase and then moved to Ableton.

Ableton is the best of that bunch imo, though i do a lot of my midi programming in Reason 4 for it's excellent groove manipulation facilities; I typically transfer all midi to Live for it's superior sound quality.

Reason makes a good sketch pad.
 
id say reason with out a doubt. i looked at fl as the first music package but couldnt understand it for a second, got reason and was straight off
 
I'd also say Ableton - really easy to pick up - and there are some really good tutorial vids on their website that make it 1000 times easier to understand production techniques if you have no prior knowlege.
 
Doesnt matter what you use people.

Just get a BOOK and read.

You could take two sticks and rub them together and make amazing music assuming you know what you're doing.

8 bit music was legendary in the old zelda game in on nintendo, and all they had were like 5 notes LOL...



As far as the easiest of all, everyone will give you a different opinion. You just have to try them all and see for yourself, go to a local music store and try each one for a little bit.

They all pretty much do the same thing, it's more about how you use it. Honestly.
 
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